‘Improved’ VFA up for Duterte approval – envoy

MANILA, Philippines — President Duterte is expected to decide soon on the fate of the Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA), which is now “improved” following weeks of negotiations between the Philippines and the US, the country’s ambassador to Washington said yesterday.

“It’s now in the Office of the President and I expect it to come out anytime now and we’re very hopeful that the VFA will continue because it’s an important piece of agreement,” Jose Manuel Romualdez said at a joint virtual press briefing with US embassy Chargé d’Affaires John Law.

“I know there’s been an improvement. A lot of time has been spent by both our countries, our panels to discuss some of the things that we wanted to improve in that agreement,” the ambassador said.

Duterte unilaterally terminated the VFA in February last year following the cancellation of the visa of one of his closest allies, Sen. Ronald dela Rosa, who led his controversial drug war during a stint as chief of the Philippine National Police.

But the Duterte administration suspended VFA’s abrogation in June last year in light of “political and other developments in the region.” The suspension was extended anew for another six months in November last year after the election of US President Joe Biden.

Signed in 1998, the VFA allows the entry of American troops in the country for specific periods, including at military bases. The deal also exempts US troops from passport and visa regulations so they can participate in joint military drills in the Philippines.

Romualdez said the VFA is “very important” as it “gives a little more teeth” to the Mutual Defense Treaty (MDT).

The 1951 MDT states that each country would come to the defense of the other in case of an attack by a foreign country.

“So we’ve had it (VFA) for a number of years and we’re very hopeful, hopefully confident that the President will approve the continuance of the VFA,” he added.

“It’s part of a bigger picture of our relationship, especially of our MDT, so we’re very confident that it will pull through,” Romualdez said.

Law said representatives of both countries had “very productive” and “very good conversations” on the VFA in the past weeks.

“I think we had very productive, very good conversations between representatives of both governments. There have been very specific proposals related to how we can clarify and strengthen the implementation of the VFA,” he said.

“We agree with Ambassador Romualdez, the VFA has been a fundamental part of helping make the MDT successful and we are committed to the success of our alliance with the Philippines,” he said.